Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam said Thursday he had
submitted his resignation and was not stopped by caretaker Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, reported The Nation website.
Wissanu expects he would resign soon, but did not state the
exact time to bow out. He said he already informed caretaker Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
"I will end my political career and will not be member or run in
election under a political party. I will return to my teaching
career," Wisanu said.
His announcement ended week-long rumors speculations after Dr
Bowornsak Uwanno, former cabinet secretary general resigned a few
weeks ago.
He declined to comment whether his resignation was caused by
conflicts in the government.
It is reported that Wissanu had been an adviser to Thaksin
through the caretaker premier's several key legal challenges,
including Thaksin family's US$1.9 billion sale of the controlling
stake in Shin Corp. to Singapore's state-owned Temasek Holdings
company.
The tax-free deal has sparked wide spread anti-Thaksin protests
earlier this year, which unseated the then prime minister following
the dissolution of the Lower House.
Political experts said Wissanu's departure would deal a heavy
blow on Thaksin's government.
Wissanu is one of six deputy prime ministers in the Cabinet. He
was in charge of legal matters concerning the government and was
one of Thaksin's top legal advisers.
(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2006)
